Broken promises put old growth forests in bulldozers path
It was one of the defining moments of the 2004 election. Prime Minister John Howard being mobbed by Tasmanian forestry workers, when he promised to save old growth forests and jobs. But today the Federal Greens have called on John Howard to honour some of the promises made on election eve 2004. John Howard promised to protect 18700 hectares of old growth forest in the iconic Styx and Florentine Valleys, but according to the Greens, Howard subsequently broke those promises less than a year later in a deal with the Tasmanian government. Peter Firth, an activist from Hobart, recently scaled a 60-metre high tree in an area of the Styx Valley to protest against logging there. Erica Vowles asked him to describe the view from 60 metres up. The Wire also spoke with Geoff Law form The Wilderness Society. The Office of the Prime Minister was contacted but declined to comment.